The Brandeis Judges: If you can play, you can play

Student-athletes pledge support to LGBTQ peers in and out of the sports arena

By Adam LevinOct. 17, 2014

Whether on the field, court, pool, strip or track, Brandeis athletes are a family.

It is this sense of family that spurred Brandeis University to join the You Can Play Project, a social activism campaign dedicated to ensuring quality, respect and safety for all athletes regardless of sexual orientation.

The project was founded in 2012 in response to the car accident that killed Brendan Burke, an openly gay hockey manager at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, who combated homophobia. Burke’s legacy has inspired thousands of sports professionals, leagues, teams and universities to join the movement in support of fair play and respect across all sports.

Brandeis videographer Allison Milligan, in collaboration with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, produced a short video showcasing each of the 19 Judges varsity teams and their pledge to fight discrimination inside and outside the athletic arena. Opening with a quote from the university’s namesake, Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, the production affirms Brandeis’ commitment to providing a supportive environment for LGBTQ student-athletes.

“I am extremely proud of our student-athletes for their participation in this project,” said Director of Athletics Sheryl Sousa ’90. “This is an important message that the entire Brandeis community can support.”